Kinematograph Year Book 1947 (1947)

Overseas. 599 Switzerland By H. H. Wollenberg TTHE Federal decree of July 7, 1939, granting distributors the right to import ■*• feature films to the same extent as were imported during the four-year period from January 1, 1935, to December 31, 1938, is the only Federal legislation concerning the film. The establishment of new distributing firms is thus practically impossible, as they would not be able to obtain a share in the quota. The Schweizer Filmkammer, Berne (Swiss Film Chamber), at their annual general meeting in Spring, 1946, expressed concern at the overwhelming number of films imported since the end of the war, and called for a gradual decrease of imports through the application of the import regulations. Official import figures were given for the first time in the 1945 annual report of the Federal Department of the Interior. Between 1939 and 1944 a total of 2,171 feature films were imported; U.S., 1,111 ; France, 205 ; Germany, 398 ; Italy, 262 ; Britain, 60 ; Sweden, 44 ; Russia, 6 ; other countries 85. More than 600 films were imported during 1945. Import duties for feature films reached their highest level with 123,000 Sw. Fr. as compared with the previous highest 96,300 Fr. in 1941. The total of import duties in 1945 was 132,500 Fr. Switzerland has 380 kinemas, according to the latest figures. These include 223 in the German, 132 in the French and 25 in the Italian speaking areas of the Federation. In addition, 6 mobile theatres operate in the German speaking area. Film censorship and other legislation is the prerogative of each of the 25 Cantons which form the Swiss Federation ; their rulings differ widely. In March, 1946, the film censors of Switzerland had a general meeting in Zurich and voted against the proposal to establish a centralised Federal censorship. The total of theatres in the German and Italian speaking areas are organised within the Schweizer Lichtspiel Theater Verband, Bahnhofstrasse 89, Zurich ; the theatres in the French speaking area in the Association Cinematographique Suisse Romande, with headquarters at 6, rue du Lion d'Or, Lausanne. The renters' organisation is Film-Verleiher Verband in der Schweiz, Erlachstrasse 21, Berne. Only members of these organisations are permitted to distribute or exhibit films. There is also a special ruling by which a sub-standard film can only be hired from a renter who owns the 35-mm. rights of the film. There is also a producers' association, Verband Schweizerischer Filmproduzenten, Rennweg 59, Zurich ; its members are essentially concerned with the production of shorts. The two major studios are at Zurich and at Miinchenstein (Basle). An indication of the increase in attendance at kinemas is given by the entertainment tax figures of Zurich. They rose to 1,520,907 Sw. Fr. in 1945, as compared with 1,338,020 Fr. in 1944. TRADE ORGANISATIONS Neue Interna Film A.-G., Bahnhofquai 7. Zurich Verband Schweizerischer Filmproduzenten, Renn Mondial Film A.-G., Seehofstrasse 16 Zurich. weg 59, Zurich 1. I?0"00,01 55™ A,"^G Tpdistrasse 61, Zurich. Schweizerischer Verband der Filmschaffenden, No'd,sk Fllms Co A"G> Uramastrasse 35, Bleicherweg 10, Zurich 2. Zurich. . Film-Verleiher-Verband in der Schweiz, Mark: Pandora Film A.-G., Lowenstrasse 59, Zurich. gasse 37 Berne. Praesens Film A.-G., Weinbergstrasse 15, Zurich. Resta Film, Lowenstrasse 20, Zurich. DISTRIBUTORS Rex-Film-Verleih A.-G., Stampfenbackstrasse 69, Eos Film A.-G., Reichensteinerstrasse 14, Basle. Zurich. Monopole Pathe Films S.A., Rue de la Rdtis Cineofflce S.A., Rue Charles-Monnard 6, Lau serie4, Geneva. sanne. Columbus-Film A.-G., Glarnischstrasse 30, Cinevox S.A., Avenue du Tribunal-Fedeeral 2, Zurich. Lausanne. Coram Film A.-G., Lowenstrasse 20, Zurich. Sphinx-Film A.-G., Limmatquai 3, Zurich. Elite Film A.-G., Schweizergasse 14, Zurich. Star Film, G.m.b.H., Seminarstrasse no, Zurich. Emelka Film A.-G, Lowenstrasse 55, Zurich. Tobis Film A.-G., Uraniastrasse 31, Zurich.